The joint's six seats place everyone a good word's length from the griddle, the prep counter, the other customers, and Jodie himself—and Jodie Royston is not a man who takes money from strangers. Naturally, it takes only one meal to become a regular, especially when one takes hunger into account. The restaurant's sprawling menu—over 64 specials splayed across two walls in the form of cheeky laminates and repurposed receipts—offers a bounty of flavor beyond the fried chicken leg. More

When's the last time you saw a menu with a mermaid riding a lobster? Yeah, it's been a while. The Alice Statler menu collection at the City College of San Francisco contains menus dating as far back as the 1920s, mostly from Northern California restaurants. They're currently sitting in six steel filing cabinets at the college, but you can click through 13 of them here. More

[Flickr: Gary Soup] Name: Roli Roti Vendor-rotisseur: Thomas Odermatt Twitter: @RoliRoti Location and hours? 27 farmers' markets in Northern California (check out the schedule here) from San Jose to Sausalito to Davis. [Flickr: mercedesfromtheeighties] What's on the menu? Gourmet rotisserie meats such as free-range chickens, heritage pork (made into porchetta sandwiches), and lamb. How long have you been street fooding? RoliRoti started in 2002, but Thomas has been grilling meats for much longer. It all started back in his family's butcher shop in the Swiss Alps where his father Otto taught him the secrets of beautifully grilled rotisserie meats. When he arrived in Berkeley, California, Thomas was taken with the local gourmet food movement but found that the typical... More

It was super cold in San Francisco this weekend—around 52 degrees—so I had to don a hat and scarf and coat in order to go to the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. Friends and I giggled as we realized how ridiculous it is that we consider the low-50s to be unbearably cold, but such is the life of a Californian. While a friend scoured the market for local gifts for faraway friends, I had a goal of buying some basics to get me through the week. I've been in a bit of a cooking slump lately, so while shopping I focused on the basics that would sustain me for the week but not overwhelm my energy level. Heirloom Organics had... More

I attended two farmers' markets last week, and may go to another today. It probably had something to do with the elections. With the exception of writing about the importance of eating locally and supporting small farmers, I don't tend to use my online writing to talk politics. There are many cogent opinions about politics around the Internet, and I don't like to bore you all. But I will say this: Many of us Californians were put through the ringer last week. It was an extremely bittersweet week as we watched the results of the presidential election at the same time as our anti-gay marriage amendment and a proposition to give more freedom to our chickens, pigs and cows... More

The 2009 edition of the San Francisco, Bay Area, and Wine Country Michelin Guide goes on sale tomorrow. Here's word on the starrage: "The French Laundry remains the sole Michelin three-star selection, Coi joins the ranks of Michelin two-star restaurants, and Murray Circle, Plumed Horse, Trevese and The Village Pub join the Michelin one-star selections." $11.53, from Amazon.com... More

More than 300 people nationwide have signed up for the annual Eat Local Challenge this year. This is my fourth year taking (and leading) the challenge and it's a way of life for me now. Taking the challenge means that I step up my visits to farmers markets during the month-long project, and am more diligent in knowing where my food comes from. In San Francisco, October is a good time to eat local, as there is an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the market. The true overlap of seasons seems to be in October this year, and walking through the market I saw peaches next to persimmons, and winter squash next to summer squash. Tomatoes should still... More

"The French Laundry in Yountville and Cyrus in Healdsburg tied for the top food rating in the entire region (Bay Area, Monterey and Lake Tahoe), with 29 out of 30 possible points." [San Francisco Chronicle]... More

From left: Alice Waters, Tony Gulisano, Charles Phan, Thomas Keller, Paula LeDuc. Photographs from the San Francisco Chronicle Michael Bauer, the San Francisco Chronicle's food critic, kicks off an informative series in today's paper: Many national dining trends have their roots here, and it's where dedicated food lovers and chefs from around the country come to play and get inspired. Great cooks are everywhere - at a neighborhood bar, in a modest storefront restaurant and at haute cuisine white-tablecloth venues. But the Bay Area's visionary chefs are more than great cooks; they are people who have made Northern California an epicurean epicenter. Today and in the next two Food sections, I'll profile 20 of these innovators who have helped... More

With Apple HQ in nearby Cupertino, there's got to be a lot of iPhone freaks in San Francisco willing to stand in line to grab a 3G handset the minute it's released on Friday morning. In anticipation, we asked our SF correspondents Jennifer Maiser and Harold Check for their picks. Apple Store, Stockton Street View Larger Map 'wichcraft: Tom Colicchio's great sandwich options, like the fried egg one available all day, can be found at the Mission Street entrance of the Westfield Mall. 868 Mission Street, San Francisco CA 94103 (map) [JM] Medicine Eatstation: About a five-minute walk from the Apple store with satisfying bento boxes to keep you energized. 161 Sutter Street, San Francisco CA 94104 (map) [JM] Bristol... More